Climate Justice Teach-In

April 5, 2014 @ 1:00 pm - 5:30 pm

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This one day conference will explore the intersection of climate change and social justice.

We’ve known about the dangers of climate change for more than two decades and awareness continues to increase. We are already beginning to see the consequences–frigid temperatures thanks to shifting polar vortex, hurricanes, typhoons, flooding–and there is widespread support for policies to mitigate climate change.

Yet, we haven’t seen the wide scale changes in society we need and they don’t seem on the horizon. Why? What kind of movement (and, ultimately, society) is required to respond seriously to climate change?

Speakers will address: What is the role of the capitalist political and economic system in the climate crisis? How do racism, socioeconomic inequality, and other longstanding forms of oppression facilitate ecological destruction? Why should climate activists be concerned with a broad-based view of social justice and why should social justice activists be concerned with climate change?

A central goal of the conference is to promote climate justice perspectives and analyses in the Boston area. How can we promote collaboration between climate activists and social justice activists and build a strong climate justice movement? Join us for discussion of these important questions!

Confirmed speakers:

Fred Magdoff, Professor Emeritus of Soil Science, University of Vermont and co-author with John Bellamy Foster of “What Every Environmentalist needs to know about Capitalism”

Daniel Faber, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Northeastern Environmental Justice Research Collaborative, Northeastern University

Sherri Mitchell, Indigenous Rights Attorney and Activist and Executive Director of the Land Peace Foundation

Sara Mersha, Director of Grantmaking and Advocacy, Grassroots International